This is part of a series of bloody matches to the death. Show support for your favorite game so it will do better in the fight. You can support it by writing why you think its the better game and more importantly by betting (i.e. voting for) it. Please make it clear for when I check the bets later. You have until Friday when I tally the bets and declare the winner. I will reserve my bet for any tie-breakers.

Although you should be familiar with both games, there is no rule that says you have to have played both of them. The only rule in Trashdome is this;

It's more approachable, it's IN PRINT and has been for pretty much all this time, it's got expansions galore over several iterations, and you can play it twice in the time it takes for one game of Dune.

Dune is a classic, but Cosmic Encounter is the foundation of modern boardgame design, doesn't depend on a licensed property, is still in print today and being expanded upon, and is more approachable for a wider audience. CE for the win.

Both of these games are in my top ten, and they have some obvious similarities.

Cosmic is easier to teach to casual players and usually a faster game, so it's easy to get on the table. But Cosmic is merely a tactical game. You can't really execute a long-term strategy in Cosmic, because you usually have no control over who you are attacking. You do have more control over who you ally with, but only if they invite you as an ally.

Everyone raves about the strong theme in Dune, and I'm a big fan of games with strong themes and settings. But theme isn't what makes Dune great. It's the extremely dynamic board, the changing alliances, and the blind single bid combat. Not only is there strategy and tactics in abundance in Dune, but also plenty of opportunities for bluffing and bribery.